Hurricanes 2024
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@Canes4life that's gonna be a big challenge, lots of big games away
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:
@frugby I think if we win that Chiefs match at home after the bye it could be season defining.
I’d say we will need to play our top 23 for the next four matches which is fine as there is a bye after the Highlanders and a good chunk of them got a rest this week. The only guy I’d look to rest (potentially against the Drua) would be Lomax and maybe Aumua.
Think to me at least there looks to be a clear top four (Blues, Chiefs, Canes and Reds) what order they finish in remains to be seen. The fact that the Canes have won 2/2 out of 2 against those sides should come in handy though, because at best the Blues can only square the leger on them.
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@Mr-Fish I reckon whoever wins that Chiefs game in a couple weeks will likely get the Saders in a quarter. I still think the Chiefs will finish top but I wouldn't be surprised if we get the bloody Crusaders in the quarter. A good chunk of this team don't fear the Crusaders and Canterbury teams though. NPC final in 2022 the likes of Proctor, Aumua, Delany, Kirifi, Love, Numia, Higgins, Lakai, Perenara etc were all involved in that side, the Lions also went down there with a B side and beat them again in 2023. The Canes have now also won two on the trot against them. Alot of the young guys have only had success against the Cantabs so they wouldn't be overawed by that happening.
I'd rather play the Crusaders at home than the Brumbies away tbh.
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I hope the team forgets about all of this and just focuses on week by week
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@Mr-Fish said in Hurricanes 2024:
You just know the Hurricanes are going to finish top of the table and then lose to the Crusaders in their quarter-final.
The only team there is any danger of this happening to IMO is the Blues, simply because they seem to have a bit of a mental block.
That said, I think the chance of it actually happening is so minimal, because Rob Penney is clearly an inferior coach to Cotter, McMillan and Laidlaw.
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@frugby I'd be confident the Canes would get the job done against a full strength Saders team anyway. We beat them at home last year and we look like a much improved team in 2024. To be the best you have to beat the best so if we ended up playing them in a knock out, so be it.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:
@frugby I'd be confident the Canes would get the job done against a full strength Saders team anyway. We beat them at home last year and we look like a much improved team in 2024. To be the best you have to beat the best so if we ended up playing them in a knock out, so be it.
Agreed. I think the Crusaders have a handful of injured players who come back and make a difference, but not enough.
Sorely missing Whitelock, and the loose trio isn't functioning at all. I don't really see who fixes this.
Likewise in the backline, sorely missing a first five and Will Jordan. These aren't fixed by Burke coming back.
Will they make the 8? Maybe, but I find it hard to see them going further than the QFs.
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A good interview with Harry Godfrey via SENZ, he highlights First Five as the position he would love to play going forward but knows he has a fair amount to work on before he gets a good crack there for the Canes.
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Harry Godfrey was first five at Whanganui Collegiate and for Central HB prems when he played for them in the 2021 HB club comp. It was the 2021 Hurricanes U20 team where he was placed at fullback and seems to have been his position since. The Hurricanes U20 first five at the 2021 Taupo tournament was Aidan Morgan, also captain.
I'd like to see Godfrey again at first five as well, but it's still good experience for him at the moment. -
@Number-10 he played first five for the Under 20s in 2022 and was the player of the tournament. The Canes see him as a future 10 but obviously don’t want to rush him.
A few highlights of him playing there below outside Jordi Vijoen.
Hawkes Bay need to start playing him at 10 in the NPC to be honest.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:
The Canes see him as a future 10 but obviously don’t want to rush him.
Shield Snorters need to start playing him at 10 in the NPC to be honest.
Why should we rush him if the Canes don't want to rush him?
They fucked up by betting big on Morgan, that's not our problem to fix.
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@Canes4life ok I can understand the hype, delicious balance and vision. The pace of those changes of direction.
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@Nepia because it will be his third NPC and that competition is where you develop players these days. Where else is he meant to hone his craft?
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:
@Nepia because it will be his third NPC and that competition is where you develop players these days. Where else is he meant to hone his craft?
Again, like the Canes betting on Morgan, that's not our problem to fix.
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@Nepia Godfrey plays for Hawke's Bay, it's your responsibility to help develop him instead of focusing on a first five that no one is interested in.
I don't know why Godfrey's development has anything to do with Morgan's history, the Canes now have a completely new coach.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:
@Nepia Godfrey plays for Hawke's Bay, it's your responsibility to help develop him instead of focusing on a first five that no one is interested in.
I don't know why Godfrey's development has anything to do with Morgan's history, the Canes now have a completely new coach.
We are developing him - to suit what's best for us. We have no responsibility to develop players for a franchise that pays us lip service at best. Winning the shield, going deep in the NPC, was what we needed to prioritise, and we did that utilising the best mix of players to suit us.
The Canes are an ongoing entity, old coach isn't mitigation of anything. If you want Godfrey to be your 10 then your coach can play him there.
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@Nepia Godfrey has clearly stated he wants to be a 10 so if Hawke's Bay don't play him there he's welcome to join the good guys in Welly. I can't see why you wouldn't either he's one of the best talents you have.
